Surface Control Vehicles and Related Methods

ABSTRACT

A cold weather surface maintenance vehicle can include a housing at least partially surrounding an engine and defining at least one vent oriented to emit air from within the housing toward a user positioned on the user support structure. A controller of a maintenance vehicle can restrict or reduce a speed of an engine in response to temperature, operation of a hydraulic attachment, or operator position. A controller of a maintenance vehicle can control operation of a dispensing mechanism of a flowable material distribution device with the controller based on a position of a traction control of the maintenance vehicle.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/294,755, filed Dec. 29, 2021, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure generally relates to surface control vehicles and, more particularly, to snow and ice control vehicles and related attachments.

BACKGROUND

Powered vehicles are utilized to help with a variety surface maintenance tasks, such as removing snow and distributing salt, brine, and other ice control materials. For vehicles utilizing hydraulic systems and components, however, cold ambient temperatures negatively impact hydraulic fluid, making it viscous and increasing resistance as the hydraulic fluid moves through the lines. Due to this, the magnitude of negative pressure on an inlet side of a pump for the hydraulic system is increased, reducing a lifespan of the pump. Further, trying to maintain a desired level of power with a viscous hydraulic fluid can also wear down the pump for the hydraulic system. An operator may be able to use a hydraulic fluid designed for colder temperatures, but this would also require the operator to then use a different type of hydraulic fluid in warmer ambient temperatures, which is a labor intensive process. Additionally, the vehicle could utilize a restrictive valve or an electric tank heater to bring the hydraulic fluid up to a desired temperature, but this method is inefficient, wastes energy, and the components take up valuable space on the vehicle 10 that could be utilized for other components.

SUMMARY

In accordance with a first example, a cold weather surface maintenance vehicle is described herein with a hydraulic system including a hydraulic circuit. The hydraulic system includes a reservoir, a pump fluidly coupled to the reservoir, and an accessory portion of the hydraulic circuit fluidly coupled to the pump and configured to power a hydraulic attachment fluidly coupled thereto. The accessory portion includes a high flow circuit, a low flow circuit, where the low flow circuit is configured to power hydraulic components requiring relatively less power than provided by the high flow circuit, and a flow valve that is fluidly coupled to the high flow circuit and the low flow circuit. The flow valve is configured to direct fluid flow to the high flow circuit from the low flow circuit when the low flow circuit is not powering hydraulic components.

In some examples, the pump can be a tandem gear pump having separate high flow circuit and low flow circuit inlets and outlets. If desired, the hydraulic circuit can further include first and second hoses fluidly coupling the reservoir and the high flow circuit and low flow circuit inlets of the tandem gear pump.

In some examples, the surface maintenance vehicle can include a chassis and wheels operably coupled to the chassis. The hydraulic system can further include left and right wheel pumps that are configured to drive movement of left and right ones of the wheels, respectively, and inlets of the left and right wheel pumps can be fluidly coupled to an open portion of the hydraulic circuit upstream of the reservoir. In a further aspect, the hydraulic system can include an oil cooler disposed upstream of the left and right wheel pumps, and inlets of the left and right wheel pumps can be disposed at a lower height than the oil cooler such that hydraulic fluid flowing into the inlets of the wheel pumps receives a gravity assist.

In some examples, the surface maintenance vehicle can include a filter configured to remove air bubbles from hydraulic fluid entering the reservoir and/or the hydraulic system can include a hydraulic attachment being one of a snow thrower, a power broom, a spreader, or a plow.

In accordance with a second example, a method for controlling engine operation of a cold weather surface maintenance vehicle is described that includes monitoring a temperature of hydraulic fluid in a hydraulic circuit of the surface maintenance vehicle with a sensor and restricting a speed of an engine of the surface maintenance vehicle in response to a controller determining that the temperature is below a predetermined temperature. This advantageously limits a speed of a pump of the hydraulic circuit and a velocity of hydraulic fluid circulating in the hydraulic circuit.

In some examples, the method can include: reducing the speed of the engine for a predetermined amount of time in response to the controller determining that a hydraulic attachment powered by the hydraulic circuit is turned on; automatically reducing the speed of the engine with the controller in response to a sensor determining that an operator stepped off a standing platform of the maintenance vehicle; automatically reducing the speed of the engine with the controller in response to determining that a traction control for the surface maintenance vehicle is in neutral for longer than a predetermined amount of time; and/or automatically reducing the speed of the engine with the controller in response to determining that a hydraulic accessory powered by the hydraulic circuit is not being operated.

In accordance with a third example, a surface maintenance vehicle is described that includes a chassis, an actuator carried by the chassis, and a mount for attaching an accessory to the maintenance vehicle. The mount includes opposing side members and a cross-bar extending between the side members. The actuator is configured to be operated to raise the mount to thereby engage the cross-bar with an accessory and lift the accessory off the ground to couple the accessory to the mount.

In some examples, the cross-bar can include a downwardly extending wall providing a forward facing abutment surface for the accessory to rest against after being lifted off the ground; the mount can include a lock pin coupled to one of the side members, where the lock pin is configured to be registered to and inserted through an opening in the accessory when the accessory is lifted off the ground to thereby releasably secure the accessory to the mount; the side members can be pivotably coupled to the chassis, such that raising the mount comprises pivoting distal ends of the side members upward.

In some examples, the surface maintenance vehicle can include the accessory, where the accessory includes a connector comprising a pair of spaced, downwardly opening hooks configured to seat over the cross-bar of the mount. In further examples, the accessory can be one of a snow thrower, a power broom, a spreader, or a plow; and/or the connector can include an engagement surface disposed below the hooks, where the engagement surface is configured to abut the cross-bar when the connector is coupled to the mount.

In accordance with a fourth example, a method for controlling an operation of a cold weather surface maintenance vehicle is described that includes receiving a signal at a controller of the surface maintenance vehicle to operate a dispensing mechanism of a flowable material distribution device and controlling operation of the dispensing mechanism with the controller based on a position of a traction control of the surface maintenance vehicle.

In some examples, the method can include stopping operation of the dispensing mechanism in response to determining that the position of the traction control of the surface maintenance vehicle is a neutral position, such as, for example, detecting a position of a lever of the traction control with a sensor.

In some examples, the method can include operating the dispensing mechanism with the controller at a set distribution rate input in response to determining that the position of the traction control of the surface maintenance vehicle is not a neutral position. In further examples, the method can include receiving the set distribution rate from a user input of the surface maintenance vehicle.

In some examples, the method can include controlling a rate of operation of the dispensing mechanism based on the position of the traction control of the surface maintenance vehicle. In further examples, the method can include determining a rotational position of pivotably coupled linkage components of the traction control of the surface maintenance vehicle with a sensor and controlling the rate of operation of the dispensing mechanism based on the rotational position of the pivotably coupled linkage components; or determining a position of a linkage component of the traction control of the surface maintenance vehicle with a sensor and controlling the rate of operation of the dispensing mechanism based on the position of the linkage component.

In any of the above examples, controlling operation of the dispensing mechanism with the controller can include controlling operation of a feeder mechanism of a spreader or controlling operation of a pump of a sprayer.

In accordance with a fifth example, a cold weather surface maintenance vehicle is described that includes a chassis, a user support structure coupled to the chassis, an engine carried by the chassis, and a housing at least partially surrounding the engine, where the housing defines at least one vent oriented to emit air from within the housing toward a user positioned on the user support structure.

In some examples, the housing of the surface maintenance vehicle can include a top wall including a control panel having one or more user controls. In further examples, the at least one vent can include a vent defined in the top wall oriented to emit air from within the housing toward hands of a user manipulating the user controls, and/or the housing can include a shell disposed forwardly and at least partially above the control panel to provide a shield for a user’s hands while operating the user controls. In further examples, the surface maintenance vehicle can include a hydraulic system, where the hydraulic system includes a user control accessible at the control panel of the housing and one or more connections to fluidly connect the hydraulic system to one or more hydraulic accessories. The housing can include a front wall and the one or more connections are disposed on a top portion of the front wall. In yet further examples, the surface maintenance vehicle can include a universal hydraulic accessory coupling extending forwardly of the chassis suitable for mounting a plurality of different hydraulic accessories to the surface maintenance vehicle, where the hydraulic accessory coupling is configured to be moved via the hydraulic system to mount one of the plurality of hydraulic accessories thereto.

In some examples, the surface maintenance vehicle can include one or more of the following aspects: the user support structure can be a standing platform; the at least one vent can include a vent oriented to emit air from within the housing toward feet of a user positioned on a standing platform; the housing can include a rear wall facing a user on the user support structure and the at least one vent include be a vent defined in the rear wall; the surface maintenance vehicle can include an adjustable cover for the at least one vent that is configured to be manipulated by a user between an open position exposing the at least one vent and a closed position covering the at least one vent; the at least one vent can include a plurality of vents oriented to emit air from within the housing toward a user positioned on the user support structure; the surface maintenance vehicle can include a low-profile forward compartment disposed forwardly of the housing on the chassis, where the forward compartment defines an opening in a top thereof and comprising a pivotable hood to selectively cover the opening, and a battery disposed within the forward compartment and accessible through the opening in the top of the forward compartment; or the surface maintenance vehicle can include a sensor coupled to the user support structure, where the sensor is configured to provide control input in response to a user getting on or off the user support structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a surface maintenance vehicle;

FIG. 2 is a diagram of an example hydraulic circuit for a surface maintenance vehicle;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an example hydraulic circuit for a surface maintenance vehicle;

FIG. 4 is a diagram of a control system for a surface maintenance vehicle;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for a first example engine control method;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for a second example engine control method;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for a third example engine control method;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for a fourth example engine control method;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart for a fifth example engine control method;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart for an example control method for a dispensing mechanism of a flowable material distribution device;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of example user controls for a surface maintenance vehicle;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an example attachment assembly to couple an accessory to a surface maintenance vehicle;

FIG. 13 is a sectional perspective view of the attachment assembly of FIG. 12 ;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a surface maintenance vehicle mount for the attachment assembly of FIG. 12 ;

FIG. 15 is a sectional view of the mount of FIG. 14 and a forward compartment for the surface maintenance vehicle;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of an accessory connector for the attachment assembly of FIG. 12 ; and

FIG. 17 is a sectional perspective view of a standing platform and engine housing of a surface maintenance vehicle showing vents in the engine housing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Snow and ice control vehicles are described herein having advantageous features for working in cold environments and mitigating negative effects on the operation of the vehicles. The vehicle implementations can include features directed to the mitigation of cold ambient temperatures on a hydraulic system, which can include the operation of hydraulic attachments to the vehicles, as well as wheel pumps to drive movement of the vehicles, features directed to engine speed control based on an operational status of the vehicle, features directed to flowable material dispensing speed control, a quick attach mount for attachments to the vehicles, and housing vents advantageously located to direct heat generated by the vehicle to an operator. It will be understood that the disclosures herein can be implemented in vehicles individually or in any desired combination.

An example vehicle 10 is shown in FIG. 1 that can be utilized to control snow and ice along surfaces, as well as other desired functions. The vehicle 10 includes a chassis 12 having four wheels 14 rotatably mounted thereto. An engine 16 (FIG. 17 ) provides power to the vehicle 10 with a hydraulic circuit 18 (FIG. 2 ) providing speed control of wheel pumps 20 driving movement of individual ones of the wheels 14, as well as any control of any desired attachments/accessories to the vehicle 10. In some examples, the vehicle 10 can include a mount 22 for attachments at a front end 24 thereof. The mount 22 can provide a universal coupling that extends forwardly of the chassis 12 that is suitable for mounting a plurality of different hydraulic accessories to the vehicle 10. The mount 22 can also be movable via the hydraulic circuit 18 to easily couple accessories thereto, as described in more detail below. If desired, the vehicle 10 can further include a sprayer 26 and/or a spreader 28 mounted thereto to thereby distribute/dispense flowable materials, e.g., salt, sand, brine, etc., to control ice and snow. The spreader 28 can include a container or hopper 29 for holding salt or other flowable materials to be spread atop snow and ice. As commonly configured, the container 29 can include an opening that can be opened and closed to allow a controlled amount of material to be dispensed. A platform 30 is mounted to a rear end 32 of the vehicle 10 to allow an operator to stand thereon and control the operation of the vehicle 10 through user controls 34 in a control panel 36 accessible adjacent to the platform 26. Of course, the vehicle 10 could readily incorporate a seat rather than a platform, if desired.

An example hydraulic circuit 18 is shown in FIG. 2 with hoses or other conduits 38 connecting the various components thereof. The hydraulic circuit 18 includes a pair of wheel pumps 20 powering motors 40 a, 40 b, 42 a, 42 b for the left wheels 14 a and right wheels 14 b, respectively, a tank or reservoir 44, a circuit pump 46, an accessory actuator 48, an oil cooler 50, and, optionally, one or more filters 52 for the hydraulic fluid. As understood, valving coupled to the wheel pumps 20 enable the operator to individually control the operation of each wheel motor 40 a, 40 b, 42 a, 42 b and the resultant rotation of the wheel 14 a, 14 b attached to each particular motor 40 a, 40 b, 42 a, 42 b. This allows an operator to keep the wheels 14 on one side of the vehicle 10 motionless while the wheels 14 on the opposite of the vehicle 10 are rotated providing a very small turning radius.

In the illustrated configuration, the circuit pump 46 outputs to an accessory portion 54 of the hydraulic circuit 18 that includes the accessory actuator 48. The accessory portion 54 is configured to power a hydraulic attachment 84 for the vehicle 10 fluidly coupled thereto. For example, the accessory portion 54 can be configured to power/operate a snow thrower 84 as shown in FIG. 1 , including operating an impeller and moving a chute thereof, a power broom, including operating a bristle assembly thereof, a spreader 28 as shown in FIG. 1 , including operating a dispensing mechanism thereof, such as an impeller, an auger, a chain drum, and so forth, or moving/orienting a plow.

The oil cooler 50 is fluidly connected downstream of the accessory portion 54 and includes first and second outlets 56, 58. The first outlet 56 of the oil cooler 50 fluidly connects to the wheel pumps 20, which can be fluidly connected in series, as shown. This configuration allows the wheel pumps 20 to be fluidly coupled to an open portion of the hydraulic circuit 18 upstream of the tank 44 and downstream of the oil cooler 50, rather than being fed from the tank 44, for example.

The wheel pumps 20 are susceptible to cold hydraulic fluid as discussed above. The configuration of the wheel pumps 20 as provided herein benefits from a slightly positive inlet residual pressure, e.g., between 5-12 psi, which reduces the possibility of suction cavitation. Further, during a cold start of the vehicle 10 and hydraulic circuit 18, the wheel pumps 20 receive slightly warmed hydraulic fluid that has already passed through a majority of the circuit 18. Additionally, after the hydraulic fluid is up to a desired operating temperature, the wheel pumps 20 receive relatively “cooled” hydraulic fluid that has already passed through the oil cooler 50.

The second outlet 58 of the oil cooler 50 and an outlet line 60 of the wheel pumps 20 are separately fluidly connected to inlets 62, 64 the tank 44. If desired, a filter 52 can be provided in-line between the oil cooler 50 and the wheel pumps 20. Further, the tank 44 can include an internal filter 52. For example, the internal filter 52 can be fluidly connected to the inlet 62 from the oil cooler 50. The filters 52 can be configured to remove air bubbles from hydraulic fluid entering the tank 44, which allows the hydraulic fluid to be brought up to desired operating temperatures faster. To complete the hydraulic circuit 18, the circuit pump 46 is fluidly connected downstream of the tank 44.

In one example, the accessory portion 54 of the hydraulic circuit 18 can include a high flow circuit 66 and a low flow circuit 68, where the low flow circuit 68 is configured to power hydraulic components requiring relatively less power than provided by the high flow circuit 66. For example, the high flow circuit 66 can be utilized to power demanding functions, such as an impeller on a snow thrower attachment or a rotating bristle assembly of a power broom attachment, while the low flow circuit 68 can be utilized to power intermittent, light duty functions like tilting the a chute of the snow thrower or angling a plow. The accessory portion 54 further includes a flow valve 70 fluidly connected to both the high flow circuit 66 and the low flow circuit 68. The flow valve 70 is configured to direct hydraulic fluid flow to the high flow circuit 66 from the low flow circuit 68 when the low flow circuit 68 is being utilized to power any hydraulic components. This configuration advantageously supplements the high flow circuit 66 with the hydraulic fluid flow of the low flow circuit 58, which allows the high flow pump of the circuit pump 46 to be smaller in displacement by an amount equal to the displacement of the low flow pump. Further, due to this configuration, a lower overall flow rate of the hydraulic fluid in the circuit 18, along with the de-aerating filter 52 discussed above, allows for a smaller hydraulic reservoir 44. For example, the reservoir 44 can be a 3.5 gallon reservoir.

In a further implementation, the circuit pump 46 can be a tandem gear pump with separate high flow and low flow outlets 72, 74 fluidly connected to the high flow circuit 66 and the low flow circuit 68, respectively. Further, if desired, the tandem gear pump 46 can include separate inlets 76, 78 for the separate gears corresponding to the high flow and low flow outlets 72, 74. The inlets 76, 78 can have separate fluid connections to outlets 80, 82 of the tank 44 by hoses or other conduits 38. By having two inlets as opposed to a single inlet, the tandem gear pump 46 can be fed with two smaller-diameter hoses 38 rather than a single, large-diameter hose. The hydraulic fluid velocity in each of the two hoses 38 will be less than if a single hose was used and this is particularly beneficial in cold ambient temperatures because pushing cold, viscous hydraulic fluid fast requires additional power. Additionally, using the two smaller-diameter hoses 38 provides flexibility in where the tandem gear pump 46 can be located within a vehicle housing 144 relative to other components because a single, large diameter hose requires more clearance, for example.

As discussed above, it is desirable to minimize the time it takes to bring the hydraulic fluid in the circuit 18 up to a desired operating temperature. Rather than incorporate additional heating components, the circuit 18 disclosed herein allows a total amount of hydraulic fluid to be reduced, e.g., reducing the volume of hydraulic fluid in the reservoir 44. However, the smaller the reservoir, the less effective the reservoir is at removing the air bubbles from the hydraulic fluid. The in-tank filter 52 offsets this reduction in de-aeration performance by catalyzing the removal of air from the hydraulic fluid as it enters the reservoir 44. This allows the reservoir volume to be reduced to a third of its original size, significantly reducing the time required to heat up the hydraulic fluid to desired operating temperature, reducing the overall cost of the hydraulic fluid, and creating more space for a fuel tank for the engine, which can be increased in size 66%, or from 4.5 gallons to 7.5 gallons.

In one example, the tandem gear pump can be configured such that the high flow circuit pump displaces less than 0.6 cubic inches per revolution and the low flow circuit pump displaces less than 0.2 cubic inches per revolution.

In another example, the oil cooler 50 can be mounted within the vehicle 10 in a higher position than the wheel pumps 20, such that a hose or hoses 38 fluidly connecting the oil cooler 50 to an inlet or inlets 84 of the wheel pumps 20 travels downwardly. This configuration provides a gravity assist to the flow of hydraulic fluid in addition to any residual pressure within the line from the oil cooler 50 the wheel pumps 20. Moreover, by being located vertically below the oil cooler 50, de-aeration of the hydraulic fluid is promoted and a constant supply of hydraulic fluid is maintained. In effect, the oil cooler 50 acts as a small reservoir for the wheel pumps 20.

The vehicles 10 described herein can further include functionality to control a speed of the engine 16 in response to an operational status of the vehicle 10. For example, it can be advantageously to lower a speed of the engine 16, including idling the engine 16, at least for a period of time when the vehicle 10 is not currently being operated, if components are tasked with additional workload, or if the vehicle has to account for the impact of environmental conditions. Moreover, the configurations described herein can advantageously reduce the number of times an operator is required to operate the controls 34 of the vehicle 10, which can be a challenge with gloves. Additionally, the fuel efficiency of the vehicle 10 can be improved, engine longevity can be improved, and noise reduced due to the engine speed being brought to neutral more frequently.

Control of the engine speed can be performed by a controller 86 in communication with the engine 16 and a sensor 88. The term controller as used herein can refer broadly to any microcontroller, computer, or processor-based device with processor, memory, and programmable input/output peripherals, which is generally designed to govern the operation of other components and devices. It is further understood to include common accompanying accessory devices, including memory, transceivers for communication with other components and devices, etc. These architectural options are well known and understood in the art and require no further description here. The controller 86 may be configured (for example, by using corresponding programming stored in a memory as will be well understood by those skilled in the art) to carry out one or more of the steps, actions, and/or functions described herein

In a first example, the sensor 88 can be a thermometer having any suitable form configured to measure a temperature of hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic circuit 18. The sensor 88 can be coupled or mounted to the hydraulic circuit 18 in any desired location, such as the tank 44 for example. With this configuration, a method 200 for the vehicle 10 can include, in a first step 202, the controller 86 monitoring the temperature of the hydraulic fluid measured by the sensor 88. In a second step 204, the controller can determine whether the temperature of the hydraulic fluid is below a predetermined temperature threshold and, in a third step 206, restrict a speed of the engine 16 in response to a determination that the temperature is below a predetermined temperature threshold. For example, the predetermined temperature threshold can be about -10° F. By restricting a speed of the engine 16, the speed of the pump 46 of the hydraulic circuit 18 is thereby limited, which also results in the velocity of hydraulic fluid circulating in the hydraulic circuit 18 being limited. This provides time for the hydraulic fluid to warm up to a desired temperature, which in turn protects the pump 46 from misuse.

In a second example, the sensor 88 can be configured to provide an indication to the controller 86 when a hydraulic accessory/attachment 84 operated by the accessory portion 54 of the hydraulic circuit 18 is turned on or instructed to be operated by the user controls 34, which would increase a load on the hydraulic circuit 18. With this configuration, a second method 210 for the vehicle 10 can include, in a first step 212, the controller 86 monitoring the hydraulic circuit 18 and/or user inputs 34 via the sensor 88. In a second step 214, the controller 86 can determine whether an accessory 84 powered by the hydraulic circuit 18 is turned on or instructed to be operated by the user controls 34 and, in a third step 216, reduce a speed of the engine 16 for a predetermined amount of time in response to determining that the accessory 84 is turned on. This configuration can allow the engine speed to be reduced to a predetermined level, thereafter the hydraulic accessory/attachment 84 can be turned on, and after a predetermined amount of time, the engine speed can be returned to pre-reduced levels. In some examples, the predetermined amount of time can be between 0 and 1 second or between 0 and .5 second, or be about 0.25 second, for example. Additionally, in one example, the reduced engine speed can be about 3000 rpm. The sensor 88 can take any suitable form. For example, the sensor 88 can be coupled to the corresponding user control 34 for the accessory 84, either electronically coupled thereto or mechanically sensing a position thereof. Alternatively, the sensor 88 can be coupled to a component of the hydraulic circuit 18 to determine when the accessory 84 is being operated. In another example, the sensor 88 can be coupled to the accessory 84. By reducing the speed of the engine 16 as the attachment 84 is initially turned on, the resulting jolt on mechanical components of the vehicle 10, such as shear bolt fatigue, as well as a noise, vibration, and harshness experienced by an operator, is reduced.

In an implementation utilizing the high and low flow circuits 66, 68 in the accessory portion 54 of the hydraulic circuit 18 discussed above, the sensor 88 can be configured to provide an indication when an accessory 84 powered by the high flow circuit 66 is turned on. With this configuration, manipulation of the engine speed can be limited to higher-power requirement accessories 84, which would have a greater impact on the mechanical components of the vehicle 10 and the operator.

In a third example, the sensor 88 can be configured to provide an indication to the controller 86 when a hydraulic accessory/attachment 84 powered by the accessory portion 54 of the hydraulic circuit 18 is not being operated. With this configuration, a third method 220 for the vehicle 10 can include, in a first step 222, the controller 86 monitoring the hydraulic circuit 18 via the sensor 88. In a second step 224, the controller 86 can determine whether an attachment 84 powered by the hydraulic circuit 18 is being operated and, in a third step 226, reduce a speed of the engine 16 for a predetermined amount of time or until a subsequent input in response to determining that the accessory 84 is not being operated. In other examples, the subsequent input can be an indication from the sensor 88 that the accessory 84 is being operated. The sensor 88 can take any suitable form. For example, the sensor 88 can be coupled to the corresponding user control 34 for the accessory 84, either electronically coupled thereto or mechanically sensing a position thereof. Alternatively, the sensor 88 can be coupled to a component of the hydraulic circuit 18 to determine when the accessory 84 is being operated. In another example, the sensor 88 can be coupled to the accessory 84.

In a fourth example, the sensor 88 can be configured to provide an indication or control input to the controller 86 of in response to an operator stepping on or off the platform 30 or other user support structure. If desired, the sensor 88 can also monitor the platform 30 to provide an indication of when an operator has stepped on the platform 30 and when an operator is standing on the platform 30. With this configuration, a fourth method 230 for the vehicle 10 can include, in a first step 202, the controller 86 receiving a signal from the sensor 88 that the operator is on the platform 30. In a second step 204, the controller 86 can determine whether the operator has stepped off the platform 30 and, in a third step 206, the controller 86 can restrict an engine speed in response to determining that the operator has stepped off the platform 30 via the sensor 88, such as putting the engine 16 into idle. The speed reduction can be for a predetermined amount of time, until the sensor 88 provides an indication that the operator has stepped back onto the platform 30, until the controller 86 receives an input from a user control 34, such as a throttle/traction input, or a combination thereof. For example, the controller 86 can be configured to increase the engine speed after the sensor 88 provides an indication that the operator has stepped back onto the platform 30 and the user actuates the user control 34, e.g., moves the user control 34 out of neutral. The controller 86 can then increase the engine speed to the previous setting, which allows engine speed control to be optimized while not inconveniencing the operator. The sensor 88 can take any suitable form including, for example, a pressure sensor, a proximity sensor, and so forth.

In a fifth example, the sensor 88 can be configured to provide an indication to the controller 86 that a traction user control 34 is in neutral. With this configuration, a fifth method 240 for the vehicle 10 can include, in a first step 242, the controller 86 monitoring the traction user control 34 via the sensor 88. In a second step 244, the controller 86 can determine whether the traction user control 34 is in neutral and, in a third step 246, restrict an engine speed, such as putting the engine 16 into idle, in response to determining that the traction user control 34 is in neutral for longer than a predetermined amount of time. For example, the predetermined amount of time can be between 1 and 10 seconds, between about 1 and 5 seconds, or about 3 seconds.

The vehicles 10 described herein can further include functionality to control a speed of a dispensing mechanism 90 of a flowable material distribution device 92 based on a position of a user control 34 of the vehicle 10. In one implementation, the user control 34 is a traction control operating one of the wheel pumps 20. It can be advantageous to control a rate of operation or stop operation of the dispensing mechanism 90 based on movement of the vehicle 10 indicated by the position of the user control 34 to reduce waste or over-application of the flowable material. With this configuration, a method 250 for the vehicle 10 can include, in a first step 252, the controller 86 receive a signal from a sensor 98 operably coupled to the user control 34 to operate the dispensing mechanism 90 of the distribution device 92. Thereafter, in a second step 254, the controller 86 can control operation of the dispensing mechanism 90 based on a position of the user control 34. For example, the controller 86 can be configured to stop operation of the dispensing mechanism 90 in response to determining that the user control 34 is in a neutral position.

The flowable material distribution device 92 can be the sprayer 26 or the spreader 28 and the dispensing mechanism 90 can take a variety of forms, such as a pump of the sprayer 26 or a feeder mechanism of the spreader 28. The feeder mechanism can take any suitable form depending on the configuration of the spreader 28, including, for example, an impeller, an auger, a chain drum, and so forth.

In one example, the sensor 98 can be configured to indicate to the controller 86 when the user control 34 is in a neutral position. The sensor 98 of this example can take any suitable form, including a magnetic encoder, a linear encoder, or other positional sensors. Further, the controller 86 can be configured to operate the dispensing mechanism 90 at a set distribution rate in response to determining that the position of the user control 34 is not in the neutral position. In one implementation, the set distribution rate can be received from a user input 100 of the surface maintenance vehicle 10. In another implementation, the set distribution rate can be a default rate.

As shown in FIG. 11 , the traction control user input 34 can take the form of a lever 102 capable of being shifted by an operator of the vehicle 10 between a neutral position and a maximum position to increase or decrease a rotational speed of the left or right wheels 14 to thereby control a speed of the vehicle 10. In one example, the sensor 98 can be configured to detect a position of the lever 102. If desired, the controller 86 can be configured to dynamically control a rate of operation of the dispensing mechanism 90 based on a position of the lever 102 indicated by the sensor 98, which corresponds to a speed of the vehicle 10.

The traction control user input 34 can further include a linkage 104 of rotatably coupled components 106. In an alternative form, rather than detecting a position of the lever 102, the sensor 98 can be configured to measure a position of a dampener 107 pivotably coupled to the linkage 104. In another approach, the sensor 98 can be configured to measure a rotational position of pivotably coupled linkage components 106 relative to one another. As the lever 102 is shifted between the neutral position and the maximum position, the components 106 pivot with respect to one another increasing and decreasing the angle defined therebetween. The sensor 98 can measure the rotational position of the components 106 and the controller 86 can dynamically control a rate of operation of the dispensing mechanism 90 based on the rotational position. If desired, the controller 86 can be configured to correlate the position data of any of the above configurations with an engine speed stored locally or remotely.

In another aspect as shown in FIGS. 12-16 , the vehicle 10 can include an attachment assembly 108 for accessories 84 that includes the mount 22 at the front end 24 thereof that allows an operator to quickly attach a desired accessory 84 to the vehicle 10. The mount 22 is movable between a lowered, coupling position and a raised, use position. So configured, the accessory 84 can be easily coupled to the mount 22 in the lowered position or as the mount 22 is raised, and further secured in place after the mount 22 is raised fully to the use position with the accessory 84 coupled thereto.

As shown in FIG. 15 , the mount 22 includes opposing side members or walls 110 having a proximal end 112 pivotably coupled to the chassis 12 and the opposite, distal end 114. The mount 22 extends forwardly of the chassis 12, such that the distal end 114 of the mount 22 is pivoted upward and downward along an arc between the raised and lowered positions. By one approach, the accessory actuator 48 can be utilized to drive the proximal end 112 of the side members 110 on an opposite side of the pivot thereof downwardly to thereby drive the distal ends 114 upwardly. For example, the actuator 48 can directly engage the side members 110 or can drive movement of a separate component coupled to the side members 110, such as a component secured to the pivot. Alternatively, the mount 22 can be coupled to the chassis 12 via a linear track allowing the mount 22 to move vertically or at an angle upward and downward.

By one approach, the distal end 114 of the side members 110 can have a greater height than the proximal end 112 thereof, allowing the side members 110 to be moved relative to the chassis 12 and other components of the vehicle 10 with greater clearance. Pursuant to this, as shown in FIG. 14 , a housing 144 of the vehicle 10 can include slots 117 therein, allowing the side member 110 to freely pivot. For example, the side members 110 can have a tapering or generally triangular configuration as shown with a bottom edge 116 configured to be generally horizontal in the raised position.

A cross-bar 118 extends between the side members 110 at the distal ends 116 thereof to engage the accessory 84 in the lowered position and support the accessory 84 in the raised position. If desired, the cross-bar 118, in addition to a top member 120, can include a wall 122 downwardly depending from the top member 120 with a forward surface 124 facing the accessory 84. As shown, the wall 122 can include both a vertical portion and a rearwardly angled portion. The top member 120 can have a cylindrical configuration as shown or otherwise have an upwardly rounded configuration to provide an easier engagement and seating with the accessory 84, as described in more detail below. The top member 120 and wall 122 can be an integral, single-piece component or can be separate, as desired.

To ensure that the accessory 84 is secured in place, the mount 22 can further include one or more lock pins 126 configured to engage the accessory 84 when the accessory 84 is coupled thereto. By one approach, the mount 22 can include lock pins 126 on both sides thereof. The lock pin 126 can be coupled to the side member 110 as shown or can be a separate component requiring an operator install the lock pin to the mount 22. If desired, the lock pin 126 can include a spring-bias to bias the lock pin 126 to a locked position. With this configuration, the accessory 84 can drive the lock pin 126 or a user can pull the lock pin 126 against the bias to allow the accessory 84 to fully seat within the mount 22 and thereafter the lock pin 126 can be released to engage the accessory 84 and lock the accessory 84 in place. Alternatively, the lock pin 126 can have a storage and locked position and a user can move the lock pin 126 form the storage position to the locked position after the accessory 84 is fully seated on the mount 22. In the illustrated example, the lock pin 126 can be coupled to an exterior surface 128 of the side member 110 and can extend through an opening in the side member 110 in the locked position.

In order to easily couple the mount 22 and the accessory 84 together, the accessory 84 can include a rearwardly extending connector 128 configured to engage the mount 22. The connector 128 includes one or more hooks or recesses 130, such as two spaced hooks 130 as shown, that open downwardly and are sized to fit over the cross-bar 118. With this configuration, the connector 128 can be positioned over the cross-bar 118 and the mount 22 can be moved to the raised position, so that the cross-bar 118 is fully seated within the hooks 130 and the accessory 84 is fully supported by the mount 22.

Further, the connector 128 can include one or more downwardly depending walls 132 with rearward facing surfaces 134. For example, each of the hooks 130 can extend forwardly from laterally spaced walls 132. The walls 132 are positioned with respect to the hooks 130, such that the rearward facing surfaces 134 of the connector 128 abut the forwardly facing surface 124 of the mount wall 122 when the accessory 84 is fully supported by the mount 22 in the raised position. In the illustrated example, the surfaces 134 include both a vertical portion and a forwardly slanted portion corresponding to complementary surfaces 124 of the mount 22.

As discussed above, the mount 22 can be pivotably coupled to the chassis 12, such that the mount 22 is pivoted between the lowered and raised positions along an arc. With this configuration, the accessory 84 and the mount 22 can initially be angled away from one another with the mount 22 in the lowered position. Thereafter, after the hooks 130 and the cross-bar 118 are aligned and coupled together, and as the mount 22 is moved to the raised position, lower ends of the accessory 84 and the mount 22 pivot toward one another until the surfaces 124, 134 abut one another.

As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 , depending on the number of lock pins 126, one or both of the walls 132 can include an opening 138 extending therethrough that is configured to register with the respective lock pin 126 of the mount 22 when the mount 22 is in the raised position. With the above configuration, after the openings 136, 138 register, the lock pin 126 can be inserted therethrough to secure the accessory 84 from fore-and-aft movement relative to the mount 22. Additionally, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 , the connector 128 can have a width sized to fit between the side walls 110 of the mount 22. By one approach, the walls 132, 110 can have a small clearance therebetween, e.g., between 1 to 10 mm, such that the mount 22 restricts lateral movement of the accessory 84 relative thereto.

In addition to providing an easy coupling for the accessory 84, the vehicle 10 can also include conveniently located hydraulic couplings 139 for hoses to hydraulically couple the accessory 84 to the hydraulic circuit 18 after the accessory 84 is mounted to the vehicle 10. As shown in FIG. 1 , the hydraulic couplings 139 can be accessible through a front wall 151 of a housing or body 142 defining a chamber 144 to at least partially receive and surround the engine 16 and, if desired, other components, such as components of the hydraulic circuit 18, components of the sprayer 26, and so forth. As shown, the hydraulic couplings 139 can be disposed in a top portion 151 a of the front wall 151. For example, the hydraulic couplings 139 can align with the control panel 36.

As shown in FIG. 17 , the vehicle 10 can also include one or more vents 140 located and oriented to direct heat generated by the vehicle 10 toward an operator standing on the platform 30 or disposed on another user support structure, such as a seat. For example, the vehicle 10 can include a housing or body 142 defining a chamber 144 to at least partially receive and surround the engine 16 and, if desired, other components, such as components of the hydraulic circuit 18, components of the sprayer 26, and so forth. For example, the one or more vents 140 can be oriented to emit air to the feet, legs, torso, arms, and/or hands of an operator of the vehicle 10 standing on the platform 30 and operating the user controls 34 or positioned on any other user support.

In the illustrated form, the housing 142 is disposed adjacent to the platform 30 and include a rear wall 146, side walls 148, and a top wall 150 including the control panel 36. In one example, the vent 140 can be defined in the rear wall 146 and oriented to emit air from within the housing 142 toward an operator positioned on the platform 30, such as their legs and/or feet. If desired, the rear wall 146 can define a plurality of vents 140 disposed along a height thereof to emit air at a variety of heights to warm the legs and feet of the operator. In another example, the top wall 150 can define one or more vents 140 oriented to emit air from within the housing toward hands of a user manipulating the user controls 34. It will be understood that the housing 142 can define any desired number of vents 140 oriented to emit air directed to any particular location of an operator or area relative to the platform 30 and/or control panel 36.

As shown in FIG. 17 , the housing 142 can also include a shell or hood 154 that extends upwardly from a front of the top wall 150 and the control panel 36 thereon. The shell 154 also includes a top wall 156 that extends rearwardly to at least partially project over the control panel 36. If desired, the control panel 36 can include a rear angled section 36 a that extends upwardly within the shell 154. So configured, the shell 154 can provide a shield and wind-block for a user’s hands while operating the user controls 34.

One or more of the vents 140 can further include an associated adjustable cover 152. Each adjustable cover 152 can be configured to be manipulated by a user between an open position fully exposing the vent 140 and a closed position covering the vent 140. If desired, the adjustable cover 152 can further be configured to partially block the vent 140 between the open and closed positions, such that a user can select an amount of air emitted through the vent 140. The cover 152 can take any suitable form, including a sliding wall or walls that slide along the housing 142, or a pivoting wall or walls that pivot about a pivot axis in a plane of the vent 140 or at an angle with respect thereto.

As best shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 , the vehicle 10 can have a low-profile front end 160 that is disposed forwardly of the housing 142. Due to the low-profile nature of the front end 160, the vehicle 10 have components mounted thereon, e.g., the flowable material distribution device 92, without obstructing the visibility of the user or the user’s ability to track accessories coupled to the mount 22. For example, the front end 160 can have a height less than half of the housing 142 or corresponding to a height of a wheel guard 162 for the wheels 14. The front end 160 can define a forward compartment 164 to receive components therein, such as a battery 166, the accessory actuator 48, and so forth. To provide easy access while also protecting the components in the forward compartment 164, the forward compartment 164 can define an opening 168 in a top thereof and the vehicle 10 can include a hood 170 that is pivotable with respect to the front end 160 to selectively cover the opening 168. As shown, the hood 170 can be pivotably coupled to the vehicle 10 at a front edge portion thereof, so that the hood 170 can be pivoted upwardly away from the housing 142. The hood 170 can include a lock or other securing mechanism, e.g., a latch, spring-biased pin, etc., to hold the hood 170 in a closed position. So configured, a user can easily access the battery 166 and/or other components within the front compartment 164 through the top opening 168 thereof.

It will be appreciated that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments. The same reference numbers may be used to describe like or similar parts. Further, while several examples have been disclosed herein, any features from any examples may be combined with or replaced by other features from other examples. Moreover, while several examples have been disclosed herein, changes may be made to the disclosed examples within departing from the scope of the claims.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety of modifications, alterations, and combinations can be made with respect to the above described embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention, and that such modifications, alterations, and combinations are to be viewed as being within the ambit of the inventive concept. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A cold weather surface maintenance vehicle comprising: a chassis; a user support structure coupled to the chassis; an engine carried by the chassis; a housing at least partially surrounding the engine, the housing defining at least one vent oriented to emit air from within the housing toward a user positioned on the user support structure.
 2. The surface maintenance vehicle of claim 1, wherein the user support structure comprises a standing platform.
 3. The surface maintenance vehicle of claim 2, wherein the at least one vent comprises a vent oriented to emit air from within the housing toward feet of a user positioned on the standing platform.
 4. The surface maintenance vehicle of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a rear wall facing a user on the user support structure; and the at least one vent comprises a vent defined in the rear wall.
 5. The surface maintenance vehicle of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a top wall comprising a control panel having one or more user controls, and the at least one vent comprises a vent defined in the top wall oriented to emit air from within the housing toward hands of a user manipulating the user controls.
 6. The surface maintenance vehicle of claim 5, wherein the housing further comprises a shell disposed forwardly and at least partially above the control panel to provide a shield for a user’s hands while operating the user controls.
 7. The surface maintenance vehicle of claim 5, further comprising a hydraulic system including: a user control accessible at the control panel of the housing; and one or more connections to fluidly connect the hydraulic system to one or more hydraulic accessories; wherein the housing includes a front wall and the one or more connections are disposed on a top portion of the front wall.
 8. The surface maintenance vehicle of claim 7, further comprising a universal hydraulic accessory coupling extending forwardly of the chassis suitable for mounting a plurality of different hydraulic accessories to the surface maintenance vehicle, the hydraulic accessory coupling configured to be moved via the hydraulic system to mount one of the plurality of hydraulic accessories thereto.
 9. The surface maintenance vehicle of claim 1, further comprising an adjustable cover for the at least one vent, the adjustable cover configured to be manipulated by a user between an open position exposing the at least one vent and a closed position covering the at least one vent.
 10. The surface maintenance vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one vent comprises a plurality of vents oriented to emit air from within the housing toward a user positioned on the user support structure.
 11. The surface maintenance vehicle of claim 1, further comprising: a low-profile forward compartment disposed forwardly of the housing on the chassis, the forward compartment defining an opening in a top thereof and comprising a pivotable hood to selectively cover the opening; and a battery disposed within the forward compartment, the battery accessible through the opening in the top of the forward compartment.
 12. The surface maintenance vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a sensor coupled to the user support structure, the sensor configured to provide control input in response to a user getting on or off the user support structure.
 13. A method for controlling engine operation of a cold weather surface maintenance vehicle, the method comprising: monitoring a temperature of hydraulic fluid in a hydraulic circuit of the surface maintenance vehicle with a sensor; restricting a speed of an engine of the surface maintenance vehicle in response to a controller determining that the temperature is below a predetermined temperature to thereby limit a speed of a pump of the hydraulic circuit and a velocity of hydraulic fluid circulating in the hydraulic circuit.
 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising reducing the speed of the engine for a predetermined amount of time in response to the controller determining that a hydraulic attachment powered by the hydraulic circuit is turned on.
 15. The method of claim 13, further comprising the controller automatically reducing the speed of the engine in response to a sensor determining that an operator stepped off a standing platform of the maintenance vehicle.
 16. The method of claim 13, further comprising the controller automatically reducing the speed of the engine in response to determining that a traction control for the surface maintenance vehicle is in neutral for longer than a predetermined amount of time.
 17. The method of claim 13, further comprising the controller automatically reducing the speed of the engine in response to determining that a hydraulic accessory powered by the hydraulic circuit is not being operated.
 18. A method for controlling an operation of a cold weather surface maintenance vehicle, the method comprising: receiving a signal at a controller of the surface maintenance vehicle to operate a dispensing mechanism of a flowable material distribution device; and controlling operation of the dispensing mechanism with the controller based on a position of a traction control of the surface maintenance vehicle.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein controlling operation of the dispensing mechanism based on the position the traction control of the surface maintenance vehicle comprises at least one of: stopping operation of the dispensing mechanism in response to determining that the position of the traction control of the surface maintenance vehicle is a neutral position; or operating the dispensing mechanism with the controller at a set distribution rate input in response to determining that the position of the traction control of the surface maintenance vehicle is not a neutral position.
 20. The method of claim 18, wherein controlling operation of the dispensing mechanism based on the position the traction control of the surface maintenance vehicle comprises controlling a rate of operation of the dispensing mechanism based on the position of the traction control of the surface maintenance vehicle.
 21. The method of claim 20, further comprising determining a position of a linkage component of the traction control of the surface maintenance vehicle or pivotably coupled linkage components of the traction control of the surface maintenance vehicle relative to one another with a sensor; and wherein controlling the rate of operation of the dispensing mechanism based on the position of the engine control of the surface maintenance vehicle comprises controlling the rate of operation of the dispensing mechanism based on the position of the linkage component or pivotably coupled linkage components.
 22. The method of claim 18, wherein controlling operation of the dispensing mechanism with the controller comprises controlling operation of at least one of a feeder mechanism of a spreader or a pump of a sprayer. 